“I’m the person who causes the problems, and they have to suffer the consequences to a large degree.

“I’m a very fortunate person to have had their support.

“I was fortunate, along with my family, that I was able to go into the Priory in Woking, and I was there for five weeks in a rehab centre in which I’d have to say the expertise of the therapists was quite fantastic.

“It’s not easy to go into therapy; it’s a very difficult place to be, but I was delighted I went in and I learnt a lot of things.

“I learnt a lot of tools which I brought out that will hopefully help me throughout the years to come.”

MOUR STAFF FOR JOSE

NOT SO FAB

Manchester United told they must pay £25m for Monaco full-back Fabinho... after City snub him

Still make his Marc

Gareth Southgate backs Marcus Rashford to bounce back from his England demotion

Wilkins, who won 84 England caps, added that he “feels much better”.

“First and foremost to have got it out in the open, because there’s nothing worse than having to conceal stuff, but now it’s out there and I just hope we can move on and really enjoy some fabulous football,” he added.

“[It caught up with me] rapidly.

“It was almost unbelievable, that one minute I felt perfectly fine and then all of a sudden – bang.

“It was like a bit of an earthquake really.

“It was pretty horrendous how quickly this situation grew.

“I’ve been clean now to close for three months, and I’m feeling so much better.

“The temptations will come, there’s no two ways about it, but as they say in AA – just take one day at a time.”

Wilkins had a brilliant playing career with Chelsea and Manchester United, before a successful coaching career

Wilkins, who also had stints with AC Milan and Queens Park Rangers before a successful coaching career, said: “In the process of trying to get better, I bumped into a lot of sports people that are in the same boat, and I’m sure there are lots of others out there.

“And if there are others out there, please God they’re not in the same situation as I find myself, if they ever need to pick a phone up I’m on the end of it.